


Canon is a Length of Rope

by PeggingMothman



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Series Finale, Slow Burn, finale fix-it, finale rewrite, unless im just queerbaiting you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27665713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeggingMothman/pseuds/PeggingMothman
Summary: "Freedom is a length of rope. God wants you to hang yourself with it." -Castiel“Freedom is obedience to self-formulated rules.” -Aristotle"Yet it is onlylove/ which sets usfree,." -Maya AngelouBeginning at the end of 15.19, this fix-it is a complete reworking of what a spn finale SHOULD be.Battling the Empty, wrapping up recurring characters, solidifying themes, ending character arcs, and so so much more. Proof that anyone can do a better job than the CW.
Relationships: Adam Milligan/Michael subtext, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. PART ONE

**Author's Note:**

> Use your free will to choose what is canon and what is not. I give you this fix-it of the finale written as if it's the actual show (minus the car commercials). Everyone's storyline will be resolved, the world will be a better place, and the past 15 years will have meant something. I invite you to reject canon and substitute your own! 
> 
> This is a WIP so please be patient with updates, especially with all the holiday chaos in Dec. I'll try to update every week.  
> Find me on Tumblr and Twitter @PeggingMothman

#### Previously [15.19]

Jack faded into invisible omnipresence, leaving the Winchester brothers surrounded by newly rescued humanity. “What do we do now?” Sam asked his brother. 

“Whatever we want, Sammy. Whatever the hell we want.” 

As Dean made his way to the impala, Sam began exchanging texts with Eileen. Too focused on his phone, Sam doesn’t initially notice Dean open the back seat door and wave Miracle inside. Once again they have saved the world, but at what cost? Dean cranks up the radio volume, hoping to convince himself free will truly is the root of happiness. “Back in Black” is deafening as the boys and their new dog drive off in their father’s car. As Dean’s stomach aches, he thinks how, so far, he doesn’t feel very free. 

* * *

#### Now [5.20]

The scene opens on the boys, Eileen, and Miracle entering the bunker with suitcases. It’s been a month since Jack became the allmighty. “You know Sammy, all the times we been to Virginia and I think this was the first time I ever went in the ocean. Hell, I got a tan in places that never been tan before!” 

“Gross,” Eileen signs while scrunching her nose. She takes her suitcase and walks ahead of the boys, on her way to her bedroom. 

Once she leaves the room, Dean drops his bags, turns closer to Sam, and asks, “Did you get it? Lemme see!”

“Yeah I got it. Check this out.” While checking Eileen is still gone, Sam slips a hand into his pocket, revealing a simple wooden box. Discreetly opening it, Dean gasps at the sight of an ornate Victorian engagement ring, featuring a sizable diamond at the center. 

“Wow, did you ransack a pharoah’s tomb for that?” Before Sam can respond with anything other than a sassy glare, they hear Eileen’s footsteps approach and scramble to hide the ring. 

* * *

  
Miracle chews on one of Dean’s unwashed socks while the boys sit at the large bunker table. At one end are document scanners hooked up to laptops, and the other is covered with several stacks of books. In the middle of this book forest are Sam and Dean, each flipping through dusty books.

Closing his midieval beastiary with a heavy sigh, Dean says, “Nothing about the Empty in this one either.”

Without looking up, his brother replies, “Alright. Scan it.” 

As Dean scans the first page of the beastiary, an unfamiliar knock rings out from the main entrance. The brothers wordlessly grab their weapons and tiptoe up the steps. At the door, Dean bellows, “Who’s there?”

The reply is hesitant and passive. “Um, it’s Adam. Adam Milligan.” After a moment of exchanging wide-eyed expressions, Sam throws open the door and gestures for Adam to enter. 

“Adam! We thought you were a goner. It’s good to see you. What brings you all the way to Kansas?”

“Have you guys heard anything from Michael?” Adam asks in a rush. The bags under his eyes become noticeable, and he continues without stopping for a breath. “He just disappeared on me a month ago and I haven’t seen him since. I’ve tried everything. He’s all I have left.”

Sam and Dean look at each other. They look at Adam. Miracle whines in the background.

Dean takes an uncomfortable inhale and places an awkward hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Let’s get you a beer, kid. There’s something we need to talk about.”  


* * *

  
Adam hasn’t opened his mouth except to drink. He never had enough hope inside himself to be let down. Dean suspects the beer is the only reason he hasn’t ditched them yet. Sliding another bottle over to his half-brother, Dean rubs a tired hand over his face before saying, “For what it’s worth, I know how you feel. I lost Cas, so both our angels are in the empty now.”

“You might be fine forgetting about Cas, but I won’t abandon Michael. He and I are a package deal.” The sudden fire in Adam’s tone and the determination in his eyes startles Sam. 

“Nobody’s forgetting Cas,” Dean fires back. “Don’t you think we’ve spent the past month looking for ways to get him out of there? Don’t you think the first thing I did when I got back here after saying goodbye to Jack was pray to him to bring Cas back?” Dean’s voice cracks momentarily. He collects himself when his eyes catch Sam’s sympathetic look. Dean continues, “We’re trying our best, man, but we’re a skeleton crew here.”

Adam pauses pensively before responding resolutely, “Then what can I do to help.”

* * *

*commercial break*


	2. PART ONE 1/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter, mostly getting things in order for part 2.

The scene opens with a montage set to “Long Train Runnin” by the Doobie Brothers. We see fragments of daily life. Adam flips through old Men of Letters books, searching for a way to become whole again. Then, Dean sets a tall stack of blueberry pancakes on the table for Sam, Eileen, and Adam. All are smiling, especially Adam who hasn’t had mornings like these since his mom was killed. Next, the group returns from a vacation with tacky souvenir tshirts and sunburns. Adam carves his initials beside the others, a warm smile on his face. Pile after pile of books are scanned and archived. Miracle licks Dean’s face. The camera pans over a framed picture of Sam on one knee proposing to Eileen in front of the Grand Canyon. A map poster of America’s national parks has many locations filled in.

Now all four sit at the large table. Adam and Dean are searching and scanning books, while Miracle naps under the table. Sam kisses Eileen’s cheek and looks over her shoulder to where she’s researching local wedding venues. The antique engagement ring is visible on her ring finger. 

“Any wedding inspiration yet?” Sam playfully signs to his fiancée.

“Nothing seems quite right.”

Dean halts on a handwritten page of a Men of Letters journal. “Guys, check this out. It’s coordinates to another Men of Letter’s bunker north of Amarillo, Texas. Looks like it points to the bunker’s secret entrance with instructions for an unlocking spell.”

Sam takes the journal from Dean and reads the coordinates. “That’s less than a day’s drive out. We should see if this spell works on it.”

“I’m coming with you,” Adam says. “There could be something useful in there.”

“Then I’m coming too,” Eileen signs. “My boys might need backup.” All four start toward the door, followed by Miracle.

* * *

The spell was easy enough. They already had all the ingredients in the impala; the rest was just chanting Latin and drawing a sigil on the door with blood. 

This bunker is much smaller than their own, so it only takes a few minutes for the gang to clear the premise and meet up in the petite library. 

“Well, if we each take a bookshelf and sleep here, we should have everything archived in a week or two-,” Sam began. Suddenly the top drawer of a filing cabinet flies open and lands on the floor.

“What the shit!” Dean exclaims while drawing a knife. The rest of the group looks around, but nothing else moves. Dean cautiously approaches the cabinet, giving it a nudge with his boot when he gets close enough. Crouching on his knees, he searches the contents of the filing drawer: a few manila folders with Enochian symbols on the label. The others join in investigating the remaining folders.

Eileen is the first to speak, saying, “You guys? I think we need to thank Jack...” 

Setting her folder open before the others, the file’s title struck the group with an electric silence. Dean’s eyes water as he reads the title: the Enochian words **“A AFFA”** followed by **“THE EMPTY.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I forgot how hard writing is. I'm really taking my time planning out part 2 in a way that makes sense both to the themes and to religious mythology, which is hard when the Empty isn't actually from any culture? So I've gone down a rabbit hole of Hassidic Judaic mysticism, which is always a fun time lol. Thanks for your patience, and as always your feedback/criticisms are appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this far!!! I promise I'm already working on writing more. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated!  
> Find me on Tumblr/Twitter @PeggingMothman


End file.
